Worlds Apart
by Brown-Eyed-Marauderette
Summary: The pureblood Slytherin falling for the muggleborn Hufflepuff sounds like something out of a fairytale. Unfortunately, this tale does not begin with "once upon a time" and end with "they lived happily ever after". This is a story that tests all they ever thought true. Nothing is ever black and white in war and none know that better than Olivia Carmichael and Regulus Black.


_This is a part of my series A Black and White Story. This can probably be read on its own but you might pick up on a few more things if you read the other stories. This is a Regulus/OC romance told in a series of chronological oneshots. At least, mostly chronological._

_I don't own Harry Potter. I am simply borrowing the characters to create my own little world inside of another world. Please enjoy._

* * *

The first time Olivia Carmichael saw Regulus Black was in the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall had lined them up to walk down the center aisle to their Sorting. The way it worked out, Olivia could only see the back of his head. The impossibly dark curls were elegant and sophisticated, even if they were just on the head of an eleven year old.

She had no idea of the bloke's name. He neither turned to introduce himself to her or to anyone else around him. He stood perfectly straight, his head held high, his shoulders squared back, and his heels together. His posture screamed royalty to Olivia.

Then McGonagall started the sorting and when the name Regulus Black was called, he moved forward. Well, simply saying that would be an understatement. He seemed to gracefully stride towards the front of the Hall.

The entire hall was silent, something Olivia didn't understand. For the two previous students who had been sorted, there had been some chatter. But for Regulus there was complete silence. Everyone in the hall was looking between Regulus, the table decorated in green, and the table in red was staring at a pair of black haired twins. It wasn't just any dark hair, it was exactly like that of Regulus Black.

Assuming it was his older siblings, for they barely looked a year older than the rest of the first years, they both appeared on edge. The girl was staring at the hat on her brother's head so intently, as if she was willing it to choose a certain house. The brother next to her was muttering something over and over again. It sounded like Gryffindor. Her heart broke for the both of them. There was a burn on the edge of the boy's neck and the girl had a horrific and painful bruise on the side of her face.

Then the Sorting Hat opened the rip of its mouth and shouted, "SLYTHERIN," for the entire hall to hear.

The green table cheered quite loudly, though not as loud as the Ravenclaws did for their new housemates. When the hat was removed from Regulus's head, Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn't because of instant love or because she found him attractive. No, it was because he looked so _scared_.

His face didn't give him away. He was just as stoic as the rest of the house he was joining. It was his eyes. The silvery-blue of his eyes gave away his hidden terror and disappointment. As he was walking to the table, he looked over to his siblings. Olivia followed his gaze.

The brother was rubbing his hands over his face, like a man who had lost all he was fighting for. The girl, however, with one of her friend's hand on her shoulder, met her brother's eyes and smiled back weakly, giving him reluctant congratulations and almost like she was giving him permission.

But the sadness in Regulus's eyes continued to exist. Olivia had half a mind to ask the Sorting Hat to put her in Slytherin so she could be his friend. It looked like he desperately needed one.

All too soon, Professor McGonagall called out her name and she nervously moved to the front of the Hall. The hat was so large that the brim ended up sitting on the bridge of her nose.

"_My, my, my, what do we have here? A muggleborn wishing to be put in Slytherin?"_

Olivia jumped at the voice in her head, scared.

"_Do no fear me. I see into your mind to place you in the best house. Trust me, you would not do well in Slytherin. A kind, compassionate heart that is so loyal…you trust in hard work and determination. But that loyalty! So true and ringing so clear in y our heart and mind. There is no other place for you to go. It has to be—"_

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The Hat cried out for the other students to hear.

The table to the far left cheered loudly, a few of them standing up to congratulate her and give her brief hugs to welcome her into her new house.

"You'll love it here." An older girl with kind brown eyes told her.

The rest of the sorting went uneventfully. Olivia nearly had a heart attack every time someone was sorted into Gryffindor because the house would erupt into cheers and applause. Every time a new Hufflepuff was declared, Olivia would smile and clap along with her new housemates to welcome them.

Dumbledore had just sat down after giving his welcome speech. Olivia was awed into silence. She had heard so much about the headmaster and she couldn't believe that such a Placid and seemingly calm man could do everything the rumors claimed he could.

When the food magically appeared, she nearly jumped out of her seat in shock. An older male student chuckled from a few seats down. "You'll get used to it. Don't worry," he assured her. He held his hand out. "Benjy Fenwick," he introduced himself. "I'm a prefect for this house. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the other prefects. We'd be happy to help."

"Benjy," she began timidly when a ghost appeared at the other end of the table, telling a joke to some older students who started laughing hysterically.

He seemed to know what she was going to ask and nodded with a laugh, "Yeah, they're real ghosts. That's the Friar. It's odd that he is late. He usually likes to welcome everyone when they are sorted."

"Ah! Benjy, my boy!" The said ghost had now floated down the middle of the table and stopped between him and Olivia. "How are you? I've heard that your friend Frank Longbottom has made captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I would go over and congratulate him myself but it looks like Sir Nicolas is speaking to him now. If you would be able to pass along the message, I would be much obliged."

Benjy nodded, "Of course Friar. Oh, this is Olivia Carmichael. She's one of our new housemates."

The Friar threw his hands up in the air in elation. "That's wonderful! Tell me dear, what are you most looking forward to learning here?"

Olivia shrugged, "I don't know. I'm muggleborn, see."

This just seemed to make the Friar happier. "Then may I be the first to say welcome to the first day to the best seven years of your life! You will love it here. If you ever need directions, I'm usually floating outside the entrance to the common room the first few days to give first years directions."

Olivia smiled widely, feeling much more relaxed now that she knew that she wouldn't get lost. Or at least, not as lost as she would have gotten on her own.

She wasn't able to respond because in that moment, the most incredible thing Olivia had ever seen happened. The food on her plate came together and suddenly, a small baby badger was sitting her plate looking up at her with wide doe eyes.

It wasn't just her plate that did that. Every single first year in the hall now had their food turned into the animal mascot of their house. Olivia hesitantly reached out and stroked the badger's head. He nuzzled his head against her hand and she reached over to the main dish and grabbed a bit of food to feed him. He nibbled on it and weakly pawed at her fingers, pulling it into a hug of sorts.

Around her, the other houses were reacting to the change. Ravenclaw's table were examining the birds or avoiding them at all cost. The Slytherin house seemed to be under code red as older students ran to try to gather up the snakes and some of them were having panic attacks.

Gryffindor was racing lion cubs up and down the table.

Benjy snorted when he saw that. When Olivia shot him a questioning look, he rolled his eyes as if to say, 'this is them being _tame_.'

Professor McGonagall stood up and with a wave of her wand, all the animals disappeared, turning back into food. "Whoever is responsible for this-" She trailed off threateningly, her gaze ending up about halfway down the Gryffindor table, near where Olivia saw Regulus's siblings.

Then Dumbledore interrupted "Is awarded fifteen points each for a wonderful show an animal transfiguration, don't you agree Professor McGonagall?"

"Of course headmaster." The look on her face said anything but that would have happened.

She saw the boy who had put his hand on Regulus's sister's shoulder earlier start high fiving the group around him. Benjy laughed, "It would be Ben and his friends."

"Ben?" Olivia questioned.

Benjy nodded. "That red headed bloke over there, he's one of my friend's younger brother. I suspect Potter and the Black Twins had something to do with what just happened."

"Black twins?" She questioned, trying to remain nonchalant and inconspicuous while also trying to learn as much as she could about the boy that had caught her interest.

"I know, Blacks in Gryffindor. Anna, Ben's sister, nearly threw a fit when they were sorted. She was Gryffindor and she thought that they were just like their family."

"What's with their family?"

Benjy sighed and tried to think of how he wanted to word what he wanted to say. "Listen, you know that there are some dark wizards right?"

She nodded, "Professor Flitwick explained a lot of it when he came to deliver my letter."

"Well the Blacks are the darkest of the dark. There hasn't been a Black not in Slytherin for generations. They're known for being unpredictable and a bit unbalanced in the head. Sirius and Ursula are rare exceptions in their family. God knows how. I heard their parents like beat them but no one has any proof because in their life style, the only people that actually witness the abuse agree with it so they don't report it."

Olivia's heart sunk when she heard this. She may have never spoken to Regulus before but she could tell; he wasn't like his family. There was a gentleness in him that no one else saw. But Benjy had just said that his parents were abusive. Had Regulus been harmed as well?

"What about Regulus?" She asked. "Wouldn't he be hurt too?"

Benjy shook his head, "He's their parents' golden child. He's everything that they wanted for the twins. Listen, I know that it's in our nature to be forgiving and being able to look past people's faults but in this case, I don't know if you should. You could end up hurt Olivia. And I don't mean just a bump on the arm or something. I mean, rumors are that the Slytherins are joining Lord Voldemort to kill everyone who isn't a pureblood."

"But—"

"I'm not saying to never speak to him or never give him a chance," Benjy interrupted her. "Just, play it safe if you decide to try to befriend him, alright?"

She looked over at the Slytherin table to see Regulus sitting by himself, pushing his food around his plate. His head was still held up proudly but he seemed defeated. He looked over at the Gryffindor table longingly, watching his siblings laugh and joke around with their friends. While he looked crushed and pitiable, there was still a strong aura around him that screamed power and strength. There was something about Regulus Black that intrigued her, something that drew her to him.

It was in that moment that she decided playing it safe would never be in the cards. Regulus was going to end up changing her life for the better or worse. She didn't know which but it was unavoidable.


End file.
